Automatic train-stopping device.



H. W. MARSTON. AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MARLB, 1913,

1,167,910. Patented J n. 11, 1916.

HARRY JV. I YIABSTON, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-STGPPING DEVICE.

Application filed March 3,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY a citizen of the United States, and resident of Everett, county of lvliddlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Train-Stopping Devices, of which the following description, in con nection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to automatic train stopping devices directed to secure safety in railway traffic.

My present invention comprises improved means for automatically, evenly, and systematically effecting the stopping of a moving train by mechanism intended to follow in an exact, quick, and yet gradual degree the manner in which the engineer ordinarily stops the train. It is important to thus follow the ordinary manner of stopping a train, in order not to bring undue strain or sudden stress on any of the running gear, brake mechanism, or other parts, and yet it is also important to put into effect the train stopping mechanism as quickly as the engineer could possibly do so.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide means which, when actuated by a train moving past a point or station, will automatically release the thrott e valve of the engine, and close the same, shutting off the application of driving power, and will then immediately and automatically apply the air brakes, without the necessity of turning on any additional valves and without the intervention of any other mecha nism.

Heretofore in automatic train stopping devices, so far as 1 am aware, one or more electrical devices, valves, switches, or the like, have been interposed in the mechanism so that several parts must operate successively in order to effect the final setting of the brakes; or else a relatively complex and intricate arrangement of parts has been utilized. In either case the intricacies due to such a system are apt to work slowly, unsatisfactorily, or ,to get out of order and fail to respond as efficiently as is necessary for the practical working of such a device. It is, therefore, an important feature of my invention to provide a simple apparatus, eliminating the complications arising from the turning of several valves, switches, etc., and to provide means operative by and N. Mans'ron,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916;

Serial No. 751,786.

through a valve which, when first opened, acts both to shut ofi the power, and then to set the air brakes.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention as herein shown, I have illustrated the same applied to the throttle valve of an ordinary steam locomotive, and it is adapted to be connected with the air brakes reservo r and system carried by the engine and tram. Y

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a conventional view of a railway track, together with my improved apparatus, which is mounted in the engine cab adjacent the throttle lever; Fig. 2 is a plan view partially in cross section of the throttle operating mechanism; and Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the valve. 7

While any suitable means either electrical or otherwise, may be employed to actuate my lmproved apparatus, I preferably employ an electrical apparatus which may be operated in any suitable-manner, as by energizing an electric magnet in the engine and adjacent my device, upon the train passing any point, such as a signal station, where the signal to stop is set. On a cylinder 1 I mount such a magnet 2, said cylinder being secured in any suitable manner in the locomotive cab adjacent the throttle lever 3 of the engine, the throttle being indicated in dotted lines at 4: (Fig. 2), said lever being pivoted at 5 to a link 6 also pivoted at 7 on the engine boiler. An arm 8 carrying the usual rack is also shown and a lock 9 mounted to slide adjacent the handle 3 in bearings 10 and 11, and to engage the teeth of said rack is also of usual form, and is normally pressed into engagement with the teeth of said rack by a coiled spring 12. In order to release the lock 9 it is customary to provide a lever adjacent the handle 13 of the throttle lever, and I preferably so form the locking lever handle 14 in my present apparatus, with a member 15 extending oppositely from the usual handle 14, so that the locking handle being pivoted to the throttle lever at 16 may be rocked to withdraw the lock 9 from engagement with the teeth in the rack 8 by means either of the handle lever 14: or of its other member 15. A link 17 connects the locking pin 9 with its operating handle.

Formed on the cylinder 1 is an arm or bracket 18, in which is pivotally mounted a rock shaft 19, having an arm 20, carrying at one end a roll 21, adapted to contact with the member 15 of the locking handle. To the other end of the rock shaft 19 is secured an arm 22 having a slot 23 therein, arranged to receive a bolt 24 which is of less diameter than said slot and may slide therein, the bolt 24 passing through the head of a piston rod 25, secured to a piston 26 carried in said cylinder 1. Reciprocation of the piston 26 serves to rock the arms 22 and 20 on the rock shaft 19 in the nature of a bell crank lever, as will be readily understood on reference to Fig. 2. The piston 26 is also provlded with a stem 27 extending in the opposite direction from that of the piston rod 25 and adapted to slide through a U-shaped socket member 28, threaded on the end of the cylinder 1, opposite to that through which the stem 25 slides. Around the stem 27 I provide a coiled spring 29 which has one end seated in the member 28 and its other end bearing against the side of the piston 26 to which the stud 27 is connected. Actuation 01" the piston 26 downwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, compresses the spring 29, rocks the lever arms 20 and 22, operates the member 15 of the locking handle to release the locking member 9 from the teeth of the rack 8, and further movement of said piston and rocking of said arms acts to force the throttle lever 3 to close the throttle, while maintaining the locking prong 9 out of engagement with its cooperating rack, until the lever 3 has reached the limit of movement and has closed the throttle stem 4, thus shutting off the power completely from the engine. If the piston 26 is then released the spring 29 acts to return the same to its uppermost position and releases the throttle lever from engagement therewith until said lever may be again pulled outwardly by the engineer.

The cylinder 1 is provided with ports 30 and 31, and the piston 26 is normally held by the spring 29 in uppermost position, but allowing the port 30 to be open. In order to operate the piston 26 and the throttle closing mechanism just described, I preferably provide means consisting of a valve in communication with the main air reservoir of the engine, which valve is normally closed, but may be opened by the energizing of the electrical magnet 2 above mentioned,

which will allow air to flow through the valve 32 along the pipe 33 to said port 30, thus tending to move the piston 26 downwardly and first release the throttle lever, then close the throttle and when so closed, the piston 26 will have traversed the cylinder 1 and uncovered the lower port 31. This lower port will then permit the air to flow outwardly and along the pipe 34, back to said valve. The valve 32, as shown in Fig. 4, is a two-way valve having one way 35 and another way 36 in the barrel 37. At-

tached to the barrel is a stem 38 having an operative handle 39, which handle is normally held in closed position, by a latch 40 carried by the magnet 2. Energizing the magnet raises the latch 40, releasing the lever 39 and permitting the valve stem 38 to be turned to place ways 35 and 36 into operative position. Preferably a spring 41 is provided to elfect the turning of the valve when released by the latch 40. On turning the valve to open the ways 35 and 36, one of said ways will register with the air pipe 42 from the main air reservoir to the pipe 33, and actuate the piston 26 as just described. The air having moved the piston 26 until uncovering the port 31, and then traversing the pipe 34-back to the valve 32, will then follow the second way through said valve to the pipe 43 which leads to the air brake system of the train and sets the brakes.

It will thus be seen that my improved apparatus operates the throttle valve and sets the air brakes in exactly the order practised by the engineer and in proper timely'sequence and thereby throws no undue or sudden strain upon the brake mechanism or other parts of the running gear. Also the entire operation is accomplished by the turning of a single valve, and the air brakes are not and cannot be thrown into operation until after the throttle is closed and driving power shut off. There is no chance for the air brakes being applied until the throttle is closed, and after the closing of the throttle, there are no other valves to be turned, switches to be operated, or the like mechanism to be thrown into operation before the air brakes are set.

I have illustrated in conventional form a short section of track in Fig. 1, together with wires 44 and 45 leading from the magnet 2. The wire 44 leads through the wheels to the track and wire 45 to a brush or shoe 46 which will be carried on the engine in a position to come adjacent to or be in contact with a short section or third rail 47. This third rail may conveniently be located adjacent the signal tower or near a switch. A battery 48 is provided to be connected therewith by a wire 49, and by means of a second wire 50 connecting one of the rails in the track over which the wheels of the locomotive will run. A switch 51 between the battery 48 and the third rail 47 could automatically be swung into connection to complete the energizing of the third rail 47 when the switch or signal was set for the train to stop, while said switch 51 would be open if the track was clear, and therefore the section 47 would be inoperative to ener- Any other suitable or convenient method may be employed to swing the arm 39 ofv the valve 32 and actuate the apparatus, my invention being equally applicable to be actuated by a mechanical contact member which would be swung or actuated by a contact piece adjacent the track, the important feature of my invention being the actuation of both the throttle closing and mechanisms successively, and by means of the turning of a single valve, thus avoiding the delays, errors, and complications incident to the more complex mechanisms and plurality of movin parts heretofore sug gested to accomplish this purpose. lhe handle 89 of the valve is preferably provided with a short boss 52, adapted to contact with a lug 53 mounted on the valve casing to afford a suitable stop mechanism. It will be readily appreciated that the entire automatic mechanism is inoperative, except when the lever 39 is swung to operate the valve 32. Thus my entire mechanism does not in the least interfere with the ordinary operation of the engineers air brake valve, or of the throttle, and the entire device is so compact that it can be easily affixed to any ordinary locomotive, adjacent the throttle, without special change in the throttle lever or the other operating devices in engines asnow built. T he arm 15, which is the only extra portion on the throttle lever, can be made separately, if desired, and affixed to the handle 14s by suitable screws. An important advantage of my automatic device is that it can also be used by the engineer to lock the locomotive, holding the throttle closed and the brake set, and thus preventing any accidental opening of the throttle and starting of the engine. This has often been a difficulty, when an engine has been brought to a standstill in the roundhouse, for example, the throttle has sometimes jarred open sufficiently to admit steam and start the engine, whereas with my device applied, the throttle is held closed until the valve 32 is shut off Copies of this patent may be obtained for brake setting five cents each, by addressing the and the apparatus released from the throttle valve.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic train stopping device, comprising an engine throttle valve and lock therefor, and means acting successively to release the lock on the lever, move the lever to close the throttle and throw in the air brakes, said means consisting in asingle air operated cylinder adjacent the throttle, and a two-way valve, automatic means to turn the two-way valve on the train running by a set signal, to admit air to said cylinder and actuate the piston to release the lock on the throttle lever, close the engine throttle, and then to cause a flow of air through the second way in said valve to operate the air brakes of the train.

2. An automatic comprising a throttle lever, a single cylinder adjacent the throttle lever, a lock for said lever, a bell crank with one arm of said crank adapted to release the lock of said lever, and move said lever to close the throttle by a continuous movement in the same direc tion, in combination with a two-way valve, controlling the admission of air through one way to said cylinder and from said cylinder through the second way in said valve to the brake mechanism of the train, and automatic means to operate said valve on passing of the train by a signal set for stopping the train.

In testimony whereof, name to this specification, two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY W. MARSTON.

I have signed my in the presence of Witnesses:

EDWARD MAXWELL, J AMES R. Honour.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

train stopping device, 

